WE THE PEOPLE
SWD Officials of 10 Districts have paid huge sums as Pension to 489 Beneficiaries below the age of 65 yrs
Hence People demand impartial Probe to fix Responsibility to end recurrence of such losses to State Exchequer
By: MNS/M. Shirjeel
Srinagar: In our Part Eleventh, we have stated that the Social Welfare Department is responsible for implementation of various developmental schemes, especially those relating to women, children, SC/ST/OBC population and social justice empowerment. The scrutiny of the records of the Department has brought out glaring gaps in planning, financial management and programme management. Due to non-availability of baseline data and non-disbursement of assistance to the beneficiaries in time, the unspent balances have increased over a period of time.
The utilization certificates for Rs. 27.76 crore were awaited from various bodies. There were huge unspent balances in banks at the end of each financial year due to non-disbursement of assistance to the beneficiaries in time.
It has also been observed that supplementary nutrition under Integrated Child Development Scheme was not provided to all beneficiaries (2005-09) and the shortfall ranged between seven and 40 per cent. Health check-up and other referral services were not provided in Jammu Division.
The State Government had ordered during 2002-03 for enhancement of cash assistance from Rs. 75 to Rs. 200 and subsequently in April 2008 to Rs. 325 per month per beneficiary (State share: Rs. 125 per month and central share Rs. 200 per month). The GOI had also enhanced in April 2006 pension to Rs. 200 per month.
Additional central assistance (ACA) of Rs. 3.27 crore, against the requirement of Rs. 9.71 crore to cover the enhancement in rates, for 2006-07 were released in February 2007 by GOI for payment of arrears. It was seen that the amount released by GOI was utilized, after being retained for more than one year by the State Government, for payment of regular pension and no arrears were paid.
Pension assistance was being authorized without taking into cognizance the basic criterion of age (65 years) fixed for assistance under the provisions of the scheme. Out of the 20,179 cases test-checked pertaining to the period 2005-08, it has been seen that in 10, out of 12, DSWOs Baramulla, Doda, Jammu, Kathua, Kupwara, Poonch, Pulwama, Rajouri, Srinagar and Udhampur, 136 beneficiaries were paid, during September 2006 and January 2009, pension without verification of the age and resulted in inadmissible payment of Rs. 32.65 lakh to 489 beneficiaries below the age of 65 years.
For weeding out ineligible beneficiaries who had become self-sufficient, the District Level Committee (DLC) responsible for quarterly/annual review to ascertain whether beneficiary was self dependent had never reviewed/checked the implementation of the scheme in any DSWOs test-checked and as such correctness of weeded out cases could not be verified.
A detailed scrutiny, however, has shown that 1,815 cases in Jammu division for 43 tehsils had been weeded out during 2005-09 by the TSWOs. Due to non-involvement of the DLC, impartiality and transparency in the weeding out exercise could not be ensured. Test-check in Kashmir division however, showed that weeding out of ineligible beneficiaries was in order.
Hence People demand impartial probe to fix responsibility to end recurrence of such losses to State Exchequer, The officials are required to be careful in dealing with cases, especially where financial dealings are involved. .....(To be continued)
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